Shipping box or crate.



,.No. 861,517. PA'IEIITBD JULY so, 1907.

. J. E. BITCH. SHIPPING B0X 0R CRATE.

. APPLIUATION FILED AYE. 18, 1906.

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Stroe/fung rus Noam: Pzrsres co., wAsmnIaraN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN E. HITCH, OF SNYDERVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL 1-1.SNYDER, OF SNYDERVILLE, OHIO, AND ONE-FOURTH TO W. P. HAMMER, OFWESTBORO, OHIO.

SHIPPING BOX OR CRATE.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, .IoHN E. HITCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Snyderville, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Boxes orCrates, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in shipping boxes or crates; andthe object is to provide such a structure with a top or lid arranged tobe swung in line with the back wall of the box or crate, so as to leavethe box1 entirely open, whereby several of the boxes or crates may benested together for storage or transportation purposes, this capacity ofthe top or' lid permitting one box or crate to set in the other andanother box or crate to set over the second one; all as hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View, showingthree of my improved boxes or crates nested together, and illustratingthe then position of the lids or tops of two of the boxes; Fig. 2 is across-sectional view of the box or crate; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view thereof.

y The numeral 1 designates an inner lining of durable paper, pasteboardor other fabric. By preference, and as shown, the front, bottom, back,and top or lid lining are all in one piece, though separate pieces maybe employed, except in respect to the back and top or lid, which are tobe of one piece, so that the lining will constitutea hinge between'these parts, to permit the top or lid to be swung up in line with theback or preferably to be folded down over, outside and against the back,as seen in Fig. 1, in which the top or lid of the lower box is so placedwith relation to its back, while the top or lid of the upper box is laidover the lid of the lower box, but yet substantially in line with theback of its own box. An outer framing, composed of strips designated bythe numeral 2, incloses the inner lining. The several strips which enterinto the formation of the top or lid 3 are secured to the lining thereofby means of tacks or other suitable fastening devices, as shown at 4,while the strips which enter into the structure of the front, bottom andback are nailed or otherwise secured to the end pieces designated 5, asby nails 6 or other fastening devices. The ends or heads are furthercornposed of battens 7, which are nailed or otherwise secured to theparts 5, on the outer sides thereof, and which extend over or beyond theparts 5, at the top,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 18,1906. Serial No. 312,341.

Patented July 30, 1907.

front, bottom and back, enough to be substantially flush with the strips2. In this manner the outer framing of strips is within the border ofthe outer parts of the heads or ends, while the parts 5 of the heads orends are secured to the strips. The inner lining 1 lies between thestrips and the edges of the parts 5 of the ends or heads. The structurethus formed is light, cheap and durable. By the feature of the lids ortops being capable of swinging out into line with the box, and of beingfolded to lie against the box, the lids or tops are thus put out of theway in a manner to permit one box or crate to be inclosed within twoothers, as shown in Fig. 1, where -they are nested together. To nesttogether boxes or crates having lids or tops in the manner hereindescribed I regard as new and as the capacity of the tops or lids to beplaced in the position indicated in Fig. 1 permits of this nesting, Ipoint to this as the important feature of the invention.

The structure set forth and described with respect to the manner of themake-up of the body and the heads is also a feature of the invention.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the lid of the inclosed box is innormal or closed position, while the lids or tops of the inclosing boxesare swung out and arranged as illustrated, to remove them from standingin the way of the inclosed box or crate.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent isl. A shipping box or crate composed of aninner' liningr of paper or other similar' fabric, with the back and topor lid portions of the lining in one piece, the material being,rfoldable where the back and top or lid come togethen, and an outerframing of strips, and of ends or heads to which the front, back andbottom framing strips are secured, the framing strips of the top or lidbeing secured to the lining thereof.

2. A shipping box or crate composed of an inner lining of paper orsimilar fabric, an outer framing consisting of strips, and ends or headsto which the front, bottom and back strips are secured, the top or lidstrips being secured to the lining, the lining being bendable where thetop or lid and back come together, to permit the top or iid of one boxor crate to be folded down alongside of the back to adapt the box orcrate to receive within it another similar box or crate, and suchbendable feature of the lining also permitting;l the top or lid to beswung out into line with, but away from, the back, to permit a third boxto be placed over the inclosed box. b

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN E. HITCH.

Witnesses E. 0. HAGAN, F. W. SCHAEFER.

